Firearm percent of juvenile homicide victims by race, 1980-2010

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Working for Youth Justice and Safety

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Violent Crime Victimization

Q:	Does firearm use in juvenile homicide victimization vary by race?
A:	Firearms were involved in a greater proportion of black juvenile homicides than white, but trends in the proportion of firearm-related homicides were similar for both racial groups.

Year	White		Black

1980	36	%	47	%
1981	36		42
1982	37		41
1983	37		38
1984	35		40
1985	36		47
1986	36		40
1987	36		53
1988	38		57
1989	44		63
1990	45		64
1991	50		64
1992	53		67
1993	55		66
1994	51		68
1995	52		69
1996	48		63
1997	49		62
1998	44		54
1999	45		57
2000	41		54
2001	38		49
2002	44		54
2003	34		56
2004	40		58
2005	42		58
2006	46		62
2007	41		64
2008	43		59
2009	41		61
2010	36		63

[ Graph version ] [ Excel file ]

In 2010, a greater percentage of black than white juvenile murder victims were killed with a firearm (63% vs. 36%). In fact, black juvenile homicide victims were more likely to be killed by a firearm than white juvenile victims each year between 1980 and 2010.
The proportion of black juvenile homicides involving a firearm increased substantially during a 3-year period in the late 1980's.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/victims/qa02307.asp?qaDate=2010. Released on July 31, 2012.

Adapted from Puzzanchera, C. and Kang, W. (2012). Easy Access to the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Reports: 1980-2010. Available on-line at: http://ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezashr/.

Data Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2010 [machine-readable data files]. Washington, D.C.: FBI.